Wholehearted. Pt 7. Hypocrisy & Integrity

Wholehearted: Excerpts from Chronicles. Part 7.

Read: 2 Chronicles 8:1-11 (with 1:14-17, 2:17-18)

• What do you notice?
• What stands out to you?
• What observations or questions does this passage raise?

Discuss:

The similarities between Solomon and Pharoah start to mount up as we read through the Chronicles account (which as we have observed, is very sympathetic to Solomon – 1 Kings 11 gives a sobering account of Solomon’s downfall).

Solomon

2 Chronicles 8:1-11 2 Chronicles 1:14-17 2 Chronicles 2:17-18

Pharoah/ don’t be like Pharoah

Exodus 1:11, Exodus 34:10-16 Deuteronomy 17:14-17 Exodus 23:9

We see Solomon valuing production over people (slavery), profit over obedience (horses and chariots), self-reliance over trusting God’s provision (store cities built by slaves), and fame and glory over glorifying God (palace much bigger and fancier than temple).

• How could this happen to the wisest king of Israel?
• Which of these temptations can be issues for us today?
• How can we guard ourselves against these temptations and the slide of values that moves us towards them?
• Who can speak into our blind spots and warn us when we are getting off track?

Solomon’s story raises a few questions that are very relevant to us today.

• How did the story of Israel’s slavery in Egypt not protect them from making the same mistakes by enslaving others?
  • How can we avoid doing to others what we suffered in the past?
• How might the experience of success and security have misled Solomon and the Israelites about their standing with God?
  • How can we apply the 2 Corinthians 13:5 encouragement to test ourselves so that we are not misled?

Pray: That we might recognise and avoid temptation so that we can be good ambassadors for God’s kingdom, and that we might handle success and responsibility well.